


She Got It Bad

by whogivesacare



Series: You Bring Me Home [1]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Archie is overprotective, F/M, Pop's dates galore, Serpent! Betty, jughead is a sweetheart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-02 19:20:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11515773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whogivesacare/pseuds/whogivesacare
Summary: In which Betty is the Queen of the Southside and has a bad reputation with everyone else, Jughead sees her for who she really is, and Archie is a bit too overprotective.





	She Got It Bad

The day I realized I was in love was dark and cold and wet, and all I remember was the color of her eyes.

She walked in and I swear the world stopped. She was hugging herself to hide from the monsoon outside, but her leather jacket was unmistakable from the serpent on the back. Her short jean skirt and combat boots barely covered her, and her eye makeup was running from the moisture, red lipstick just barely smudged. But her eyes sparkled like the stars, and I couldn’t look away.

She noticed me right away, and we probably looked like idiots staring at each other until she slowly made her way over and sat across from me. I didn’t know what to do or what to say, but thankfully she broke the silence for me, her voice thick like honey.

“What’s a girl gotta do to get some damn coffee in here?” She said it with a smirk, but smiled when I immediately waved Pop over.  
She sat with me for the whole night, until someone had come to pick her up. She continued to come every night, sitting with me while I wrote, hardly ever speaking, but I didn’t care. Just her presence captivated me, and I could not get enough of her. I fell in love with Betty Cooper, Queen of the Southside.

After a few nights of us meeting, I finally told Archie. I was at his house, playing video games like always, and he commented that I seemed happier. I didn't deny it, because I was happier.

“There may be this girl, and that's all I'm telling you for now,” I told him. Archie protested, demanding more information, but I wouldn't give up my secret just yet.See, Betty was a Serpent, and her father was rumored to be the leader of the gang. Therefore, Betty had a bit of a reputation, and not a lot of people liked her. Everything I knew about her prior to our meeting was rumors spread around school from people who especially didn't like her.

Even Archie had gotten in on the madness, telling me once that Betty’s supposed boyfriend was her father’s right hand man, and that she and him would torture people together. That particular rumor was outrageous to me, considering Betty told me all about her ex.

“He broke up with me, that first night I came in here. That asshole cheated on me multiple times with multiple girls, for the entire seven months that we were together,” Betty had told me, staring down at her coffee.

“Why didn't you break up with him?” I asked.

“I tried, I did. But he is really manipulative, Jug, and he'd...he hit me, a few times. Nothing bad, never left a mark. But he threatened to do worse if I ever left him,” Betty whispered, her voice cracking.

On an impulse, I reached over and put my hand over hers, causing her to stare up at me through her dark lashes. “I'm sorry, Betts. You deserve way better than that,” I told her gently. She stared at me, a soft smile playing at her lips before she pulled her hands away to bring the coffee mug to her lips. “Oh fuck off, Jones,” she muttered with a laugh. I knew she didn't really mean it, so I laughed with her.

She kissed me that night as we were leaving. We'd been meeting for two weeks already, and she pulled me in by my plaid to kiss me against her truck. I swear fireworks went off as soon as our lips touched, and she smiled with her eyes still closed as we pulled away.

“I think I might like you, Betty Cooper,” I breathed out, staring at her lips, just wanting to taste more.

“Jughead Jones, I know that I like you,” she smirked, and that was that. I watched her drive away, a grin on my lips.  
It became a regular thing. We’d kiss at her car when I walked her over, and we’d repeat it the next night. I called her my girlfriend after another three weeks. We still kept each other a secret, because we both knew what would happen if people caught wind of it and we weren’t ready for that. Or I wasn’t, at least. Betty didn’t care what others thought, since she thought badly of everyone else, swearing about everyone at my school to me. I didn’t mind as much as I should have because the more time she spent with me, the sweeter she got.

I took her to meet my family after a week, and it went surprisingly well. She opted out of her normal leather jacket and short skirt, instead going for a simple, dark gray dress. Jellybean absolutely loved her, talking animatedly to her the entire night. My mother was her normal, kind self, and treated her as if she was any other girl. My dad was a bit more apprehensive because he knew a few people from the Southside that were involved with the Serpents, and he didn’t think to kindly of them. By the end of the night he warmed up to her, charmed by her even. He pulled me aside before I left to drive her home to give me his approval.

“She’s nice. I wish she would have come from a different family, but she’s not like I expected her to be,” he told me, looking over my shoulder at Betty talking to Jellybean. I turned around and followed his gaze, smiling to myself.

“I didn’t expect it either, but I’m glad it happened,” I smiled, glancing back at him. He smiled at me and patted me on the back. He knew how happy I was and was proud to see it, said it looked good on me. I couldn’t agree more.

“I want to meet your friend, the one you always talk about,” Betty told me only a few days later, in the middle of the movie theater. She had meant Archie, because she knows how important he is to me and how protective he is. I was hesitant, because I had no idea how Archie was going to react , since I already knew his opinion on her rumored self. But once I looked into her big, bright eyes, I couldn’t deny her.

Which brings us to the present, sitting in our normal booth at Pop’s, waiting for Archie. I’m sitting next to her, facing the door, and holding her shaking hand. She’s nervous, or maybe she can just tell how nervous I am. She looks at me and smiles softly, leaning in to kiss my cheek the exact moment the door opens. Archie walks in and finds us immediately, stopping in the doorway. I make eye contact with him as he quickly walks over, and I can already tell he’s mad before he says it.

“Jughead, what the hell is this?” Archie asks, his eyes going back and forth between us, scrutinizing. Betty shrinks in her seat a little bit and I clear my throat, squeezing her hand.

“Archie, this is Betty, my girlfr-” I start, but Archie cuts me off before I can finish.

“No,” he says simply, crossing his arms and staring us down.

“I’m sorry, what?” I ask in confusion, staring right back at him. I can feel Betty’s discomfort, and gently run my thumb across the back of her hand to soothe her.

“I said no. I don’t like this, Jug. I won’t allow it,” he replies, as if it’s as simple as that.

“I don’t think that’s really your place, Archie,” I snap, glaring at him now.

Betty slips her hand out of mine, standing up. “I’ll, um, let you guys be. I’ll just-” she points to the door, indicating that she is going to wait by her car. She tries to push past Archie, but I quickly stand up to stop her.

“No,” I blurt out, almost frantically. Betty stops and turns around to look at me, and I see her eyes are glassy. “Betty, you’re not leaving.”

“No, Jug, let her go. She’s probably gonna slither back to that Jared guy anyway. You know what they say, Betty Cooper is never pleased,” Archie smirks, sounding pleased with himself. Betty sucks in a breath and pushes past him roughly, making a beeline for the door.

“You know what? Fuck you, Archie,” I spit before following after her. “Betty, wait! Don’t leave!” I call, running out the door and towards her car. I hear footsteps behind me, Archie calling my name. Angered, I spin around fast enough to stop Archie in his tracks.

“Listen man, I’m only looking out for you. She’s dangerous! You don’t want to get mixed in with that mess,” he says, motioning towards where Betty is frozen by her open car door.

“No, you don’t get to do that. You don’t get to _look out for me_ , okay? You don’t know anything about her! All you know are stupid rumors, and are too thick-headed to see past them and actually meet her! She is the best thing to ever happen to me, but you don’t give a shit about that. Can’t you see that I’m happy? I have never been this happy in my life, Arch, and you of all people should know that!” I turn to look at Betty, who’s holding herself, shaking with tears. “Betty Cooper is the sweetest girl I’ve met. She’s considerate, she’s honest, and to me, she’s perfect,” I say softly, staring right at her and meaning every word.

“Juggy,” she whispers quietly, a fresh tear rolling down her soft cheek. I walk over to her and take her face between my hands, catching the tear with my thumb. I glance back at Archie, who is standing there dumbfounded.

“We’re leaving. Don’t try talking to me until you’ve grown up and are done being an idiot,” I tell him. He opens his mouth to say something, but I ignore him by kissing Betty. It’s nothing dramatic, just a soft peck on the lips, but we both know it means everything. I smile down at her, cupping her cheek. “Let’s go somewhere else, where we can both be free of any negativity.” She nods her agreement and we get in her car, leaving Archie and the rumors behind.


End file.
